1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to building construction and, more particularly, to a device used to prevent movement of heat from the interior to the exterior of a building and, most particularly, to a thermal break device used to minimize movement of heat from a building having a concrete floor to the exterior of a building.
2. Background Information
Many commercial buildings are provided with concrete floors to accommodate various vehicles used to move goods into and out of the building. Various types of doors are provided to control entry and exit to the building interior. Numerous residential dwellings include a garage with a concrete floor designed to hold one, two, three or more vehicles. Such garages are provided with an overhead door to control entry and exit to the garage. Both commercial buildings and residential garages are often heated, particularly in temperate climates. Because concrete is a good conductor of heat, the concrete floor within the door opening provides a conductive route for transferring heat from the interior of the building to the outside. Insulated garage doors and other overhead doors are commonly used to reduce heat loss from the interior of such buildings. However, the concrete floor extending through the door opening remains a conductive route for heat transfer.
Thus, there is an unmet need for a device and method for minimizing the transfer of heat from the interior of a building through the concrete floor located within door openings of that building.
Applicant has devised a thermal break device and a method of using the thermal break device for minimizing the transfer of heat from the interior of a building through the concrete floor located within door openings of that building.